Hurdle



March 6, 1962 R. D. GOYETTE HURDLE Filed June 8, 1959 lill! lili!!uit!!! l ill.

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3,024,022 HURDLE Robert D. Goyette, Spencer, Iowa, assignor to StadiumProducts Company, Incorporated, Spencer, Iowa, a corporation of IowaFiled June 8, 1959, Ser. No. 818,910 1 Claim. (Cl. 272-59) Thisinvention relates to an improved collapsible hurdle construction for useon a running track. The hurdle of the invention is characterized bysimplicity of structure, light weight and ruggedness. It is adapted tofold up into a compact package occupying minimum space. The constructionof the invention also insures resistance to collapse of the uprightmember of the hurdle due to forces that might be imposed on the crossbar in use.

In a preferred form the hurdle of the invention consists of a pair ofU-shaped tubular members which are pivotally connected with their basesadjacent one another. The normally upright U-shaped member carrying thecross bar has its legs aligned with those of the normally horizontalground-engaging U-shaped member. The legs of the latter are weighted toprovide tipping resistance. The novelty lies in the manner in whichthese U-shaped members are pivotally connected. Heretofore althoughhurdles have been made utilizing two U-shaped members of this type themeans for connecting them has been rather complicated and the hurdle wassubject to collapse in use. In the present invention a rigid arm ispivotally connected at either end to the opposed legs of the cooperatingU-shaped members. A pair of lugs, secured to the base of theground-engaging member lock the base of the upright member thereto sothat the hurdle is rigid in erected position but may easily be collapsedby lifting the upright member from the embrace of the lugs.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following description and the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE l is a perspective View of a hurdle constructed in accordancewith the invention in erected position;

FIGURE 2 is a side view of the hurdle shown in FIG- URE l, the hurdlehaving been collapsed for storage;

FIGURE 3 is a front view of the hurdle of FIGURE 1, the cross bar beingshown in broken lines in elevated position;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the hurdle shown in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 5 is a side View illustrating how the hurdle collapses, thepartially collapsed upright being shown in breken lines; and

FIGURE 6 is a section taken along the line 6-6 of FIGURE 3 showing meansfor locking the cross bar at diterent heights.

Referring now to the drawing it will be noted that the upright member 10and the normally horizontallydisposed member 12 are U-shaped tubesrotatably secured together by means of rigid arms or links 22. The basesof the U-shaped members 10 and 12 normally abut as shown in FIGURE lwhen the hurdle is in erected position. The rigid arms 22 are pivotallysecured to the opposed legs of the upright and horizontal members bymeans of rivets, bolts or pins 24. The length of the arms 22 is notcritical but the pivot points should be spaced a suicient distance fromthe bases to provide good rigidity when the hurdle is erected. In orderto lock the base 10a of the upright member 10 to the base 12a of thehorizontal member 12 I have provided a pair of lugs 30. These lugs aregenerally L-shaped and may be welded or otherwise secured to the base12a in atent the plane of the U-shaped member 12. The end of the lugextends upwardly normal to the plane of the U-shaped member 12 andprovides, with base 12a, a cradle to receive the base 10a of member 10,as best shown in FIG- URE 5. The number of lugs is not critical. One ormore may be used. v

It will be noted that when the base 10a is disposed within the embraceof the lugs 30 the upright member is locked against movement in anydirection except upwardly. After the hurdle has been erected and is inuse, no upward force is imposed upon the cross bar and, consequently,the erected structure is very rigid.

When it is desired to collapse the hurdle one merely steps on the legsof the member 12, lifts up on the cross bar 20 to remove the base 10afrom between the lugs and the base 12a. Since both U-shaped memberscomprising the hurdle are the same width, the legs thereof are alignedand lie directly over one another when the hurdle is collapsed as bestshown in FIG-URE 2. The pivotal connections 24 permit the U-shapedmembers to lie immediately adjacent each other and, consequently, the:hurdle occupies very little space and is easy to store.

The ends of the horizontal or ground-engaging member 12 are providedwith weights 14 which are sufficiently heavy to keep the upright membererect except when the cross bar is kicked by a hurdler in which case thehurdle tilts forward against the counteracting force of the weights 14.It will be noted that even under such circumstances the right anglerelationship of the two U-shaped members does not change since only alifting force will permit the upright to collapse against the horizontalground-engaging member.

The cross bar 20 extends between tubular or rod-like extension members1S, which telescope within the upright tubular legs of the U-shapedmember 10. In order to set the cross bar at varying heights I haveprovided a ball and socket means to provide frictional engagementbetween the inner tube 18 and the outer tube 10. This is best shown inFIGURE 6. A collar 21 embraces the tube 10 which has an openingtherethrough to house the ball bearing 23. `Cooperating with the ballbearing 23 are a series of spaced openings 25 through the rod 18. As therod 18 is moved within the tube 10 the ball bearing 23 slides into oneof the openings 25, depending upon the height at which the cross bar isto be set. The collar 21 is resilient and the ball 23 is attached to itsinner surface permanently permitting the inner rod 18 to be moved fromone position to another. A second collar 16 is secured to the rod 18 bywelding or otherwise and serves as a stop to prevent the cross bar frommoving downwardly beyond a certain predetermined point. The constructionshown in FIGURE 6 is applicable to both legs of the upright member.

Preferably the U-shaped members 10 and 12 are made from aluminum tubingso that they are very light in weight. It will be appreciated that thehurdle is easy to erect, it being necessary only to lift the uprightinto a posiuon approximately with respect to the groundengaging U-shapedmember 12. The base 10a is then lifted upwardly above the lugs 30 andthen pushed down into the cradle provided by the lugs between the base12a and the upright portion of the lug 30. The rigid arm members 22 areeffective to prevent collapse of the hurdle when the base 10a of member10 is locked in this position.

Although a preferred form of my invention has been described andillustrated in the drawings, it will be appreciated that the inventionis capable of being modified in certain detailed respects withoutdeparting from the true spirit and scope of the invention. It is,therefore, my intention to include within the scope of the appendedclaim those modifications which might properly be embraced by thelanguage ofthe claim.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

A collapsible hurdle comprising a first, normally-'upright U-shapedtubular member and a second, normally ground-engaging U-shaped tubularmember disposed base to base with legs aligned, a pair of rigid armmeans pivotally secured at either end thereof to the opposed legs ofeach member to permit collapsing the hurdle with one member overlyingthe other, a cross bar extending between the legs of said rst member, apair of L-shaped lugs secured to the base of said second member in theplane thereof, the lugs having upwardly turned ends normal to said planeand positioned to receive the base of said rst member to lock said basestogether in such manner that said' bases are separable only by liftingthe base of said rst member upwardly out of the plane of said secondmember beyond said ends of said lugs.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 974,613yTothill Nov. 1, 1910 1,100,072 Hammond June 16, 1914 2,805,062 HolmesSept. 13, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 501,768 Germany July 5, 1930

